by D. Michael DeRidder August 23, 2024
Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. announced he is suspending his presidential campaign in swing states, and is supporting former President Donald Trump. Kennedy’s announcement comes after his presidential campaign faced ballot access attacks through lawsuits in multiple states, allegedly coordinated by the Democratic National Committee (DNC).
Kennedy stated he would suspend his campaign in swing states due to his campaign no longer having a realistic path to victory as a result of the DNC lawsuits, and cited the probability his presence on the ballot in swing states would result in Vice President Kamala Harris winning the election:
Many months ago I promised the American people that I would withdraw from the race if I became a spoiler — a spoiler is someone who will alter the outcome of the election but has no chance of winning. In my heart I no longer believe I have a realistic path to electoral victory, in the face of this relentless systematic censorship and media control. So I cannot in good conscience ask my staff and volunteers to keep working their long hours or ask my donors to keep giving when I cannot honestly tell them that I have a real path to the White House. Furthermore, our polling consistently showed that by staying on the ballot in the battleground states I would likely hand the election over to the Democrats, with whom I disagree on the most existential issues — censorship, war, and chronic disease.
Kennedy said voters in non-competitive blue and red states will have the ability to cast a vote for him, stating he would remove his name from the ballot in about 10 states:
My name will remain on the ballot in most states. If you live in a blue state, you can vote for me without harming or helping President Trump, or Vice President Harris. In red states the same will apply…. In about ten battleground states where my presence would be a spoiler, I’m going to remove my name, and I’ve already started that process and urge voters not to vote for me.
Citing the issues of censorship, endless wars, and “the war on our children” as reasons he left the Democratic Party and entered the presidential race, Kennedy said those causes are why he is choosing to support Trump, stating:
Three great causes drove me to enter this race in the first place primarily, and these are the principle causes that persuaded me to leave the Democratic party and run as an Independent, and now to throw my support to President Trump. The causes were free speech, the war in Ukraine, and the war on our children.
Speaking on the war in Ukraine, Kennedy said Trump’s willingness to reopen negotiations with Russian President Vladimir Putin to end the war and Harris’ enthusiasm for continuing aggression toward Russia alone would justify support for Trump:
Judging by her bellicose belligerent speech last night in Chicago, we can assume that President Harris will be an enthusiastic advocate for this and other neocon military adventures. President Trump says that he will reopen negotiations with President Putin, and end the war overnight as soon as he becomes president. This alone would justify my support for his campaign.
Kennedy announced Trump has offered him a position in his administration based on their alignment on certain issues:
Last summer it looked like no candidate was willing to negotiate a quick end to the Ukraine war, to tackle chronic disease epidemic, to protect free speech, our constitutional freedoms, to clean corporate influence out of our government, or to defy the neocons and their agenda of endless military adventurism. But now one of the two candidates has adopted these issues, as his own, to the point where he has asked to enlist me in his administration. I’m speaking of course of Donald Trump.
Kennedy continued, and said following the July 13 assassination attempt, Trump reached out to him through Calley Means, a policy advisor to both the Kennedy and Trump campaigns, stating:
Less than two hours after President Trump narrowly escaped assassination, Calley Means called me on my cellphone, I was then in Las Vegas. Calley is arguably the leading advocate for food safety, for soil regeneration, and for ending the chronic disease epidemic that is destroying America’s health and ruining our economy… Calley had been working on and off for my campaign advising me on those subjects since the beginning… I was delighted when Calley told me that day that he had also been advising President Trump.
Kennedy said he and Trump discussed many issues they share similar views on, and said Trump offered to join forces and form a unity party:
He told me President Trump was anxious to talk to me about chronic disease, and other subjects, and to explore avenues of cooperation. He asked if I would take a call from the President. President Trump telephoned me a few minutes later, and I met with him the following day. A few weeks later I met again with President Trump and his family members, and closest advisors in Florida. In a series of long intense discussions I was surprised to discover that we are aligned on many key issues. In those meetings he suggested that we join forces as a unity party, we talked about Abraham Lincoln’s team of rivals, that arrangement would allow us to disagree publicly and privately, and furiously if need be on issues over which we differ, while working together on the existential issues upon which we are in concordance.
Kennedy said he offered to also speak with Harris, but his invitation was declined, stating:
Following my first discussion with President Trump, I tried unsuccessfully to open similar discussions with Vice President Harris. Vice President Harris declined to meet, or even speak with me. Suspending my candidacy is a heart-rending decision for me, and I’m convinced that it’s the best hope for ending the Ukraine war, and ending the chronic disease epidemic that is eroding our nation’s vitality from the inside, and for finally protecting free speech.
During the speech, Kennedy stated, “My joining the Trump campaign will be a difficult sacrifice for my wife and children, but worthwhile if there’s even a small chance of saving these kids. Ultimately the only thing that will save our country, and our children, is if we choose to love our kids more than we hate each other.” In response to the speech, Kennedy’s wife, Cheryl Hines, thanked those who worked to further the causes of the campaign despite the DNC lawfare waged against them, stating on X:
The decision has been made to suspend my husband Robert Kennedy Jr.’s, presidency and I’d like to extend a sincere, deeply heartfelt thank you to every person who has worked so tirelessly and lovingly on his campaign. They have accomplished feats that were said to be impossible. They have gathered over a million signatures, more than any candidate in history, and have achieved ballot access across the country despite the roadblocks and lawsuits that have been brought against them for the sole purpose of keeping Bobby off of the ballots so no one would even have the opportunity to vote for him. I deeply respect the decision Bobby made to run on the principle of unity. Over the last year and a half, I have met some extraordinary people from all parties — Democrats, Republicans, and Independents. It’s been my experience that the vast majority of all parties are truly good people who want the best for our country and for each other. It has been an eye-opening, transformative, and endearing journey.
Kennedy responded to Hines’ statement, and expressed gratitude for her unconditional love through his decision to support Trump, stating on X: I am so grateful to my amazing wife Cheryl for her unconditional love, as I made a political decision with which she is very uncomfortable. I wish this also for the country — love and unity even in the face of disagreement. We will need that in coming times.
Donald Trump, Jr. responded to the speech, stating on X, “RFK Jr endorses Trump!!! UNITY Let’s Go!!!!” and announced a special guest will join Trump at a rally in Glendale, Arizona, later today.